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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29434719">Luck of the Gander</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedRitual/pseuds/WickedRitual'>WickedRitual</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Boss/Employee Relationship, Complicated Relationships, Heartbreak, Love Triangles, M/M, Pining, Unhealthy Relationships, Unrequited Love, gun - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 16:35:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,167</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29434719</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedRitual/pseuds/WickedRitual</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Falcon has been working as Mark Beaks bodyguard for two years now. The problem? he's fallen in love with his boss who is in love with someone else.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mark Beaks/Falcon Graves, Mark Beaks/Gladstone Gander</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Luck of the Gander</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Falcon felt so out of place among the crowd of couples. He stood out like a sore thumb against all the red roses and heart shaped décor.</p><p>The Manresa restaurant was experiencing one of its busiest nights of the year, Valentines day. While everyone was paired up and enjoying their romantic evening Falcon stood there diligently doing his job.</p><p>Two whole years he’s been the personal protector of the young tech titan Mark Beaks.</p><p>Despite their initial bad blood, he found himself getting far more from this experience than he could have ever imagined.</p><p>He peered over to Mark, the parrot sitting alone in the booth he had reserved since last valentines day.</p><p>The candlesticks were nearly burnt out, leaving melted wax on the red table cloth. Mark’s eyes looked distant as he stared into his phone.</p><p>Falcon looked away. He felt like he was intruding on Mark’s privacy when he saw him so vulnerable like that.</p><p>Mark took a lot of pride in how others perceived him, he wanted to be seen only at his best, Falcon tried to respect those wishes the best he could. Seeing Mark upset was something he truly hated.</p><p>As a Saboteur Falcon had spent his life putting up walls, even with that profession behind him he still struggled to get close with anyone. He tried to imagine what he would say to make Mark feel better if he wasn’t so guarded.</p><p>The Raptors hands balled into fists and his grimace got harder. He left his post, walking to the front of the restaurant where even more couples waited in line waiting for somewhere to sit for the evening.</p><p>Falcon reached over the host podium, pressed the button on the phone, ending the call she was currently taking.</p><p>The host was taken aback, baffled by such a boorish display in such a fine dining environment. Before she could decide how to scold the man, Falcon cut in.</p><p>“Has Mr.Beaks date arrived yet?”</p><p>“No sir” the hostess responded, realizing if this was an associate of Mr.Beaks it was best to let his rude intrusion go “it’s been nearly 2 hours..” She looked nervous, like she didn’t want to imply what they were both thinking..</p><p>Falcon felt agitated, he also did not want to believe Mark had been stood up.</p><p>With a huff he walked out of the restaurant, looking through the long line of couples that wrapped around the side of the building.</p><p>He hoped to spot a lone gander, but sadly he found none.</p><p>Despite being with Mark almost every hour of the day Falcon had only met the parrot’s boyfriend of three years a handful of times. But he heard a lot about him from the parrot, who seemed absolutely smitten.</p><p>Falcon pinched his brows, what an idiot. You’d have to be the luckiest man in the world to have a dinner date with Mark and the stupidest not to show up</p><p>He would never leave Mark hanging, he would cherish the opportunity to..</p><p>Falcon sighed loudly at his own selfish intentions. Mark didn’t need the confusion of a second courtship when this wound was still new.</p><p>Falcon breathed in the cool night air. He needed to clear his mind and think, what could he do to save Mark’s night</p><p>Falcon looked at a couple in the crowd, the woman carried a bouquet with an assortment of flowers so large it took both arms to swaddle it.</p><p>Falcon approached the couple “Excuse me, I want to buy those flowers off you"</p><p>“Hey! You should have went to the florist before they sold out!” the man chaperoning the woman barked.</p><p>Falcon didn’t want to argue “I’ll pay you 300$ for them”</p><p>The man paused, blinking at such an absurd price to pay for some flowers that would wilt within the week “Hun, this place is expensive, sell the man the flowers" his tone changed quickly.</p><p>Money was always a prime motivator.</p><p>-</p><p>“You’re in Hawaii?”</p><p>There was a long pause of silence as Mark held his phone up to his ear.</p><p>“That’s really lucky..” Mark’s voice was quiet, distinctly downcast.</p><p>After another long pause he spoke again “It sounds like a lot of fun” he tried to smile “I’ll pick you up from the airport, call me when you’re on your way back"</p><p>Another pause.. that smile he tried to uphold quickly vanished</p><p>“Really? A free Norwegian cruise..” Mark bit on his beak to hold back his frustration.</p><p>“You know I could just buy us cruise tickets” he reasoned “or we could take my own private yacht..”</p><p>His hopeful optimism slowly diminished “It is a great opportunity. I’ll see you after your cruise..” Mark listened to this man on the other end. “I love yo--" the other line went dead.</p><p>Mark hung up, looking at the table dejectedly. From the corner of his eye he could see Falcon.</p><p>“Oh you’re back” besides the initial voice crack Mark recovered quickly, sounding like his normal self. He noticed the flowers in Falcons hands.</p><p>“If you want to go catch a date you can” Mark said, feeling a little guilty he had kept Falcon this long “you’re relieved for the day"</p><p>Falcon rubbed the side of his neck “these were from you”</p><p>Mark’s eyes got a little wider, before he could fully make up any assumptions Falcon continued to speak.</p><p>“I was going to tell you they were from Mr.Gander as an apology for not showing up. I don’t suppose you would believe that now" Falcon explained</p><p>Mark sighed “I guess I can pretend he would care enough to send flowers” he put his face in his hands “I must look really pathetic huh?”</p><p>Falcon sat across from Mark “No. I could never think of you as pathetic”</p><p>Mark looked down at the table, his eyes beginning to sting “I need to pay someone to hang out with me on valentines day, it doesn’t get much worse than that"</p><p>Falcon shook his head “You’re not paying me to be here"</p><p>“I literally am" Marks response was stern, he didn’t like to be lied to.</p><p>“You’re paying me to stand over there and make sure no one with Ill intent approaches you” his voice was very matter of fact “I am comforting you because I want to”</p><p>Mark looked up from his hands, his yellow eyes were glossy but he was trying to smile “this is how you comfort someone?”</p><p>Falcon smiled a little, he was glad Mark could still make jokes “I am out of practice..” he admitted truthfully</p><p>Mark accepted the bouquet of flowers that was placed on the table. He pulled them close enough to smell.</p><p>“I know I’m not your first choice, but I will happily spend valentines with you in Mr.Ganders absence”</p><p>Mark looked genuinely happy for a moment “Thank you Gravesy"</p><p>“Do you want to order food now?” Falcon offered</p><p>“No. I ate all the bread while I was waiting. I feel like a total fatass" he huffed “let’s just get out of here"</p><p>“How about a late night screening?” Falcon offered, wanting to keep Mark occupied until his emotions were less volatile.</p><p>“Only if the movie has no romance or boys in it" Mark put out his ultimatums as he put on his jacket.</p><p>Falcon wasn’t sure a movie like that existed “Hmm.. what about bowling then?”</p><p>-</p><p>Considering how much bread Mark ate Falcon would have thought it would take a lot more for the parrot to get drunk, but after only three dirty Shirley’s he was plastered.</p><p>Mark pressed his head against the window of the car, the lights passing by gave him a pleasantly dizzy feeling.</p><p>Falcon was beginning to think he had fallen asleep before Mark spoke up</p><p>“I cant believe I’ve been using child sized bowling balls my whole life and no one told me"</p><p>Falcon was surprised this was coming up again, maybe he should have let Mark live in blissful ignorance.</p><p>“There is no shame in using the smaller sets” Falcon chuckled as he drove “you could hardly lift the other ones”</p><p>“Don’t laugh" Mark warned “people never tell me anything”</p><p>“To be fair you don’t always react well when certain information is given to you"</p><p>Mark’s cheeks puffed up like he was about to prove Falcons point, but he seemed to realize the irony and let out a deep exasperated breath that fogged up a small portion of his window.</p><p>“If you have something to say you can say it to me. I’m not afraid of you" Falcon teased</p><p>Mark smiled “you’re underestimating me then. I can throw a mean tantrum” he joked</p><p>Falcon chuckled “I’ve seen it"</p><p>“You’ve seen nothing yet” Mark assured sounding vaguely suggestive.</p><p>The rest of the drive was quite when Falcon pulled up to the grand gate surrounding Mark’s house.</p><p>Falcon punched in the security code he had been given, granting him access to continue down the road ahead.</p><p>Falcon pulled up to the minimalist palace, stepping out of the car. He walked around to the passengers side door.</p><p>He suddenly heard shuffling and footsteps, multiple pairs of feet. In alarm he Unholstered his gun while putting himself between Mark and the source of the sound.</p><p>“Woah! Don’t shoot!!” he heard a plea “we’re hired to play music here! We have contracts and everything!”</p><p>Falcon lowered his weapon as he got a better look at the intruders. He quickly deemed them to not be threats and put his gun away.</p><p>Mark rolled down his window “oh I forgot about these guys" he mumbled bitterly ag being reminded of how the night was supposed to go “go away, the nights canceled”</p><p>The musicians quickly shuffled out of there, all shaken up from having a lethal weapon pointed in their direction.</p><p>Falcon was more concerned with Mark than the musicians he nearly gave heart attacks to. “Are you feeling alright?” he asked, seeing that sane distant look in Mark’s eyes that he saw at the restaurant.</p><p>“Mark?” Falcon got the parrots attention this time, Mark gave him a side glance “tell me about it”</p><p>Mark looked annoyed, luckily  that anger wasn’t reflected at the raptor “My boyfriend ditched me on the most romantic night of the year for some stupid free Hawaii vacation!” his pupils constricted, giving him those crazy eyes that looked even more intense due to the natural yellow shade around them.</p><p>“He doesn’t even have to travel free! I am a billionaire! I could rent out Hawaii just for us if he wanted to go there so bad!” Mark got out of the vehicle, then kicked the side of the car. Falcon might have been concerned if he thought Mark was capable of causing any damage, but he knew he wasn’t.</p><p>Falcon thought it was appropriate for Mark to get his anger out now instead of letting it build up even further.</p><p>“He doesn’t like me"</p><p>“that’s not true"</p><p>“It is. This is the longest relationship I’ve ever had and he doesn’t like me even a little bit”</p><p>“Its easy for people to not appreciate something they’ve grown use to having in their lives. I am sure he cares very much for you, he’s just forgetting to show it”</p><p>“You shouldn’t be defending him”</p><p>“What I am saying is for your sake, not his. You should not blame yourself for his incompetence as a boyfriend"</p><p>There was a calm silence as Mark stood up straight, he thought about what Falcon had said.</p><p>He stepped closer to the taller man leaning up on his toes, his lips perked, bask moving closer to Falcon</p><p>Falcon put his hands on Mark’s shoulders, so he could not lean closer. “Wait"</p><p>“What?” Mark asked, looking perplexed</p><p>“I think you’re misreading my intentions"</p><p>“I thought you were into me? I mean you totally swooped right under Gladstone beak to take me out tonight"</p><p>“I didn’t want to give you the wrong impression. I do like you, very much. But this isn’t a good time"</p><p>“It’s the perfect time. Its Valentines night! Cupid is giving you a prime opportunity here, there's like 10 arrows in my butt!"</p><p>“You’re not thinking straight, you’re angry and intoxicated. I’m not going to sleep with you just so you can get back at your boyfriend”</p><p>Mark rolled his eyes, placing his thumb on a black pad by the door. It scanned his finger prints before hissing open. “Good guys never win Gravesy" Mark looked over his shoulder, he was giving the raptor one last opportunity to join him inside.</p><p>“Sleep well Mark”</p><p>Mark went inside without a second glance, the doors to his house closing securely behind him.</p><p>Falcon sighed, he thought that could have went better. But he knew if Mark was going to fall in love with him it wouldn’t be because Gladstone was worse in comparison, he didn’t need the Gander to lower Mark’s standards.</p><p>Mark would come to love him naturally at his own pace or not at all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Of course when I go to write a romantic valentine fic it has to be all dramatic and sad xD</p></blockquote></div></div>
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